Mail chute



Dec. 23, 1930. M KATZ HAIL CHUTE Filed Feb. 26, 1930 351 111 18 @Movnew Patented Dec. 23, 1930 MARTIN KATZ, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK MAIL cH u'rE Application filed February 26, 1930; serial no. 431,456.

The present invention relates to mail chutes for ofli'ce buildings and'the like in which letter drops are provided for the several floors and lead through a common chute to a receivingbox on a lower floor. More particularly the invention has reference to chutes in which the front walls thereof are longitudinally provided with removable glass panel sections adapted to be opened up for the relief 19 of the chutes in'cases of accidental chokages.

The object of theinvention is to provide an ornamental panel frame or sash construction in which the glass portions thereof are resiliently secured in position therein in order to avoid breakage of'the glass when the panels are removed and replaced with respect to the main body of the chute.

A further object is to facilitate the replacement of the panels by providing them with guideways adapted to be engaged by the side walls of the chute.

For further comprehension of the invention, and of the objects and advantages thereof, reference is had to the following description and accompanying drawings, and to the appended claims in which the various features of the invention are more particularly set forth.

Referring to the drawings in which similar 39 characters of reference designate like parts throughout the several views:

Figure 1 is an elevational view showing a portion of the front panels of a mail chute to which the present invention is applied.

Figure 2 is a sectional transverse view of the paneled front and the back wall of the body of the chute. w

Figure 3 is a plan view looking downwardly and shown partially in section.

Figure 4 is an enlarged sectional detail. view showing means for securing the marginal edges of the glassto the paneled frames or sashes.

Numeral 1 of the drawing indicates generally of the back wall 2 and the opposite side walls 3 all secured in well-known manner to the house wall of the building. The front wall of the chute, generally indicated by 4, is composed essentially of glass panels formed parranged in conventional manner.

of chokage therein the section may readily be having undercut opposite side walls forming the body of the mail chute consisting tially in removable sections that include a mail drop for each of the several floors. As herein shown the panels containing the drop are held in connection with the chute by'a cross bar 5, having hinge parts 6 at oneend thereof while its opposite end is adapted to be engaged and locked by a latch 7, all ar- The mail drop is shown at 8 as projecting outwardly from and in integral relation with a panel section'and is provided with amail receiving slot 9 arranged to direct'the mail matter over an inclined platelO and into the ver' tical passageway ofthechute 1, and in case removed by opening up the cross bar 5. Inwardly extending side flanges. 11 areaxals'o formed on the panel sections that engage the sidewalls 3 of the chute, the flanges thus serving to laterally aline the removable front wall sections. r

F0r securingthe glass to the panel sash members 12 the latter are preferably composed of extruded metal and provided on their innerfa'ces'with bearing'seats 13 that engage the outer marginal surfaces of the glass against outward thrusts. Adjacent the marginal edges of the glass the seats of the sash members are provided with recesses 14 locking ledgesadapted to secure one of the side edges or base sections 15 of a resilient clamp member, the opposite side edge. 16 thereof being shaped to fold over and yieldingly engage the inner-face of the glass in opposition to the bearing seats of the sash members.' Between its side edges the clamp member is also provided with an inwardly curved intermediate portion 17 adapted to resiliently engagean edge of the glassand hold the 7 same against edgewise displacement, this intermediate portion of the clamp member also serving in conjunction with the fianges. 11' of the panel sections to form a guidewayto re- 9 .ceive the side walls 3 .of the chute. 5

The clampmembers thus formed are free to slide lengthwise of the recesses 14 of the sash members and are adapted to extend along the marginal edges of the glass for sub- 0 stantially its full length and to afford for the the. outer latter a resilient connection that not only effectually secures the glass in position but also prevents injury thereto while being normally removed and repositioned for the purpose above described.

It is to be understood that the side edges 15 constitute base sections of the clamp members adapted by resilient action to be securely seated between the locking ledges of the recesses 14 of the sash members 12. Also, that the clamp members may be constructed in comparatively narrow widths to form clips disposed along the glassin spaced relation with one another, and, by their spring action, the same may be inserted into the recesses at different points along the length of the sash members. As thus formed the clamp members consist of a single piece of spring metal folded in parallel relation as shown for the several purposes above described.

What I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. In a glass receiving panel, a sash memher having an inner face adapted to engage marginal face of the glass, a resilient clamp member having a marginal side edge secured in interlocking relation with the inner face of said sash member, the remaining portion of said clamp member being bent to form a yielding stop engaging an edge of the glass and to fold over and engage the inner face thereof.

2. In a glass receiving panel, a sash member having an inner face adapted to engage the outer marginal face of the glass, a resilient clamp member having a marginal side edge detachably secured in interlocking relation with the inner face of said sash member, the remaining portion of said clamp member being bent inwardly to form a yieldingstop engaging an edge of the glass and folded over to engage the adjacent inner marginal face thereof.

3. In a glass receiving panel, a sash member having an inner face adapted to engage the outer marginal face of the glass, a recess formed along said inner face having undercut opposite side walls adapted to form locking ledges, a resilient clamp member having one of its marginal side edges bent to yieldingly'engage the locking ledges of said sash member and the remaining portion thereof being bent to form a yielding stop engaging an edge of the glass and to fold over and engage the adjacent inner face'thereof.

4. In a mail chute, a body member provided with back and side walls, a glass panel front detachably engaging the side walls of said bodymember and including sash members having inner faces adapted to engage the outermarginal faces of the glass, flanges projecting inwardly from the inner faces of said sash members, resilient glass-securing clamp members having marginal side edges secured to" the inner faces of'saidisash members and projecting inwardly therefrom in spaced relation to said flanges, the said spaces forming guideways for the side walls of said body member.

5. In combination with a glass receiving sash member having a seat engaging an outer marginal face of the glass, a recess formed in said seat having side locking walls, and a spring clamp engaging the inner face of the glass and provided with a base section detachably secured within said recess.

6. In combination with a glass receiving sash-member having a seat engaging an outer marginal face of the glass, a recess formed in said seat having side locking walls, and a spring clamp engaging the inner face of the glass and provided with a yielding base detachably secured within said recess and adapted to be inserted therein or removed therefrom intermediate the ends thereof.

7. In combination with a glass receiving sash member having-a seat engaging an outer marginal face of the glass, a recess formed in said seat, a spring clamp fixed at one end within said recess and extending outwardly therefrom to form a yielding stop for an edge of the glass and folded over to form a clamp engaging the inner face thereof.

Signed at New York in the county of New York and State of New York this 18 day of February A. D. 1930.

MARTIN KATZ. 

